Grade 5 Unit on Force and Motion


Stage 1 -- Desired Results
Science Content Standard Addressed

S5.PHS4.
Force and Motion. The learner will be able to explain how the motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion, and speed.


Other Content Area Standards Addressed

M5.CES.5
The learner will be able to estimate sums, differences, and products of whole numbers, fractions, and decimals using various methods including order of magnitude, rounding, and using number sense.
M5.DPS.4
The learner will be able to propose and justify conclusions based on data.
M5.MEA.4
The learner will be able to use multiplication and division to convert units of measure within the SI or English system.
R5.ROP.3
The learner will be able to apply critical thinking when reading materials to make sense of what they read by using prior knowledge and experience, vocabulary and language structure, reading strategies and/or plans, and for problem solving and resolution.


NETS-S Standards Addressed

ISTE NETS-S Standards Document

(embedded and noted in plan activities, below)


Enduring Understanding/Goal
  • The learner will understand how inertia, gravity, friction, mass, and force affect motion.


Essential Questions

1. What are forces as described in Newton's 3 Laws of Motion?
2. How do forces interact to impact the movement of objects on earth?
3. How does friction affect an object in motion?


Student Objectives (Learning Outcomes)

1. The learner will demonstrate that an object will move in a straight line at a constant speed, speed up, slow down, or change direction dependent on the net force acting on the object.
2. The learner will be able to determine the net force acting on an object.
3. The learner will be able to determine the speed of an object in motion.
4. The learner will recognize that inertia, gravity, friction, mass and force affect motion.

Stage 2 -- Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks
  • The learners will use the ActivotesTM to respond to questions on Force and Motion.
  • The learners will calculate work using the formula Work = Force x Distance
  • Creating posters on the 3 Laws of Motion.
  • Journal entries.
  • The learners will take a graded quiz on Force at Brainpop. http://www.brainpop.com/science/motionsforcesandtime/force/quiz/


Other Evidence of Student Understanding

  • Review student wiki postings on Newton's three laws and forces.
  • Review concept map created on Newton's laws and force and motion.

Stage 3 -- Learning Plan
Unit Overview

This is a 4 lesson unit on the basics of force and motion. Students utilize a variety of online resources and conduct hands-on experiments to learn about Newton's 3 laws of motion, force, and friction. Students present their research findings and data via journal writing and the creation of a variety of presentations (including student-made videos).

Lesson 1 establishes prior knowledge and acquaints students with basic vocabulary related to force and motion. Students research and present on Newton's 3 laws.

Lesson 2 drills down on Newton's 3 laws. Students conduct simple, hands-on, experiments demonstrating each of the laws and continue their research on the laws.

Lesson 3 builds upon the learning (Lesson 2) on motion and focuses on force. Students conduct experiments on force.

Lesson 4 combines learning on motion and force and centers on an exploration of friction. Students conduct an experiment on friction and gather and present data.

Lesson Plans

Lesson 1

(2 days)

Essential Question(s)
  • What are forces as described in Newton's 3 laws of motion?

Lesson Plan/Activities


Resources:
  • Wiki
  • Promethean Board
  • Activote
  • Kidspiration, Mindomo or other concept mapping tool

Books
  • Scott Foresman Science.
  • Grade Level readers
  • Laffert, Peter. Eyewitness : Force and Motion.
  • Sturm-Niz, Ellen. Gravity.
  • Gienopoulous , Andrea. Isaac Newton and the Laws of Motion.

Websites :

Promethean Planet


Discovery Education :

Lesson 2

Essential Question(s):

  • How do forces interact to impact the movement of objects on earth?

Lesson Plan/Activities:

  • Present teacher-created (or teacher-found) videos that illustrate forces. Use this as a basis for discussion of the nature of forces, mass, momentum and acceleration.
  • Conduct demonstration using a pingpong ball, golf ball, and pool ball on an inclined plane. (experiment illustrating Newton's 2nd law and acceleration - Force = Mass * Acceleration)
  • Demonstrate different types of forces by acting out and providing explanations of real life experience e.g. Tug of War (Newton's 3rd law and equal and opposite forces)
  • Brainpop video on Force and take the graded quiz. http://www.brainpop.com/science/motionsforcesandtime/force/
  • Students will write in the science journal.
  • Divide the class into different groups - mass, acceleration, speed, and inertia - and post on the wiki about their observations and learning experiences about these aspects of force. [NETS 2a,b,d]

Resources:

http://www.brainpop.com/science/motionsforcesandtime/force/
http://www.brainpop.com/science/motionsforcesandtime/force/quiz/

Lesson 3

Essential Question(s):
  • How does friction affect an object in motion?

Lesson Plan/Activities
  • NASA Activity: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/ast27jul_1/
  • Students will roll a toy car on various surfaces such as tiles, rugs, grass, dirt, rocks, etc. to observe the effect of friction on an object’s motion.
  • Rank the surfaces according to the speed of the object.
  • Create a spreadsheet based on data collected from the activity. [3b, d, 4c, 6b]
  • Pair and share presentation
  • Return to concept map created in Lesson 1 and draw conclusions about new knowledge that has been gained about Newton's three laws and how they relate to force and motion.

Resources
  • Toy cars, balls
  • Computer, Excel,
  • Sturm-Niz, Ellen. Gravity.



Portions derived from Understanding By Design Worksheet Backwards Design Process (Developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, 2002) and Creating 21st Century Classrooms III: Connecting the Dots unit template (VT Department of Education, 2010)